Days 1-2

Your extraordinary journey begins with your arrival in the SeaTac airport. There you’ll be greeted by your trip leaders as well as the rest of your new teammates. Once everyone has arrived, it is only a short distance traveled until we reach our first basecamp located along the tranquil waters of the Puget Sound. Our first evening under the stars together is always a great one. We’ll learn to set up camp, about our up and coming excursions, but most importantly, about each other. Day two greets us as we rise with the sun full of energy and anticipation for what lies ahead. Our destination takes us south into Oregon to the remarkable Three Sisters Wilderness. En-route we’ll stop to do a little shopping, picking up needed rations for the first segment of our trip. Up next will be our four-day backpack in this amazing environment

Day 3-6

We are now ready to embark on our first backcountry section of the trip. We’ll head for higher ground and into the rustic backcountry for a four-day tour of the Cascade Mountains. The Three Sisters Wilderness is the premier wilderness area in Oregon and we will see the entire area along our amazing route. Beautiful blue lakes, flower filled meadows and snowcapped peaks make this a uniquely beautiful environment to travel in. We set up camp in a different area each night as we make our way beneath the towering peaks above. 

Day 7-9

Our next locale will be Smith Rock State Park. Well known as a climbing Mecca in the U.S., it certainly won’t hurt to have the help from some expert climbing instructors to teach us the ins and outs of rock climbing in this remarkable area of high desert cliffs and crags. Eventually, once our skills and teamwork are superbly accomplished, we’ll take on a well-known route of the area, the Tyrolean traverse of the "Monkey’s Face!" A challenging course, your reward will truly be as great as the obstacle you’ve overcome to get there, not to mention the unparalleled views while you’re at it!

Day 10-11

After our experience at Smith Rocks, our next activity will be a great change of pace but every bit as thrilling, whitewater rafting on the great Deschutes River! A truly distinct stretch of river, we’ll find all the exhilaration we need over our two-day stay here. Where perfect weather is almost the norm, we’ll take on rapids with names like "Rattlesnake" and "Buckskin Mary." Aside from learning how to negotiate our way through the whitewater, we’ll spend a memorable night camping shore-side along the river, reliving the day's excitement while we dry off and enjoy an appropriate dinner for the day's thrills.

Day 12-17

As we travel back north, we will get ready for our next backpacking section. Olympic National Park is home to one of the last remaining stretches of wilderness beach coastline in North America, and this is where we’ll be for the next four days. Backpacking along seemingly endless stretches of sandy beaches, lined with magnificent stands of old growth forest; our trek will even occasionally take us up and over rocky outcrops where we’re invited to view up and down the coastline for miles. Every night we’ll set up camp right on the shoreline around a colorful driftwood fire, enjoying the day’s experiences, and of course, a tasty meal.

Day 18-20

With our boats packed and ready to shove off, we’ll embark on three sun-soaked days of sea kayaking through the waters of the northern Puget Sound. Originally the peaks of a prehistoric mountain range, the San Juan Islands are an ideal setting for us to master our sea kayaking skills. As we travel the shoreline waters we’ll observe this extraordinary ecosystem in person, becoming acquainted with the bald eagles, sea lions and even pods of Orca whales that share the area as their natural habitat. After a day of paddling, we’ll set up camp on a different island each night, some no bigger than a football field!

Day 21-22

Finally, our last day together as a family we’ll once again organize our gear, and prepare to head back to the Seattle area for our departure as well as our end of summer banquet. There, we’ll gather round the dinner table to reminisce and talk about the good times had and never to be forgotten. Regretfully, the following morning we part ways with our heads and hearts full of memories of lifelong friends, which we’ll never forget.